| Feedings | 1 st week of weaning | 3 rd week of weaning |
| 1st | Breast or bottle feeding. | Breast or bottle feeding. |
| 2nd | Half breast or bottle feeding. Try one or two teaspoons of puree or cereal, then give remainder of feeding. | Half breast or bottle feeding. Two teaspoons of cereal. Remainder of feeding. |
| 3rd | Breast or bottle feeding. | Half breast or bottle feeding. Two teaspoons of vegetable or fruit puree. Remainder of feeding. |
| 4th | Breast or bottle feeding. | Breast or bottle feeding. |
| 5th | Breast or bottle feeding. | Breast or bottle feeding. |
EXAMPLES OF WEANING STAGES
MAKING FORMULA FROM POWDER
Equipment The equipment should be rinsed with hot water and drained before use.
- Bottles and lids
- Plastic knife
- Measuring spoon from formula package
- Funnel
- Nipples and rings
- Caps
- Measuring cup
Measuring Using the measuring scoop provided with the formula, measure out the required amount. Use a knife to level off each scoopful, and do not pack the formula down into the scoop.
READY-TO-USE FORMULA
Using a ready-made formula is more straightforward than mixing your own, but strict rules of hygiene should still be observed.
- Before opening the can, scrub the top, paying particular attention to the cutting edge
- Use a very clean can opener or can punch to open the formula
- If you are not using all of the formula, store the extra in the refrigerator in a clean jar, not in the can. Formula can be stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours
- Don’t reuse any formula that your baby has left in the bottle; it will have been contaminated with her saliva
FORMULAS
A variety of baby formulas are available, all carefully formulated to make them as close as possible to breast milk: in fact, formula has added vitamin D and iron, levels of which are quite low in breast milk.
Most formulas are based on cows’ milk, but you can buy soy-based formulas for a baby who finds cows’ milk unsuitable. Some formulas are available both in powder and ready-to-use forms.
Ready-to-use formula comes in cans or ready-to-feed bottles and is ultra-heat treated (UHT), which means it is sterile and will keep in a cool place until the “best before” date. Once the can has been opened, the formula will keep for 24 hours in a refrigerator. Ready-to-use formula is more expensive than powdered formula, but it is convenient, and useful when you are traveling. If you use powdered formula, it is essential to make it up precisely according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some parents are tempted to add extra powder to make the formula “more nourishing,” but this will lead to your baby getting too much protein and fat, and not enough water. Similarly, if you add too little powder, your baby will not be getting the nutrients he needs for healthy growth.